Burlesque — Defs

01 a. Tending to excite laughter or contempt by extravagant images, or by a contrast between the subject and the manner of treating it, as when a…

1.
Tending to excite laughter or contempt by extravagant images, or by a contrast between the subject and the manner of treating it, as when a trifling subject is treated with mock gravity; jocular; ironical.
“It is a dispute among the critics, whether burlesque poetry runs best in heroic verse, like that of the Dispensary, or in doggerel, like that of Hudibras.” — Addison.

02 n. Ludicrous representation; exaggerated parody; grotesque satire.

1.
Ludicrous representation; exaggerated parody; grotesque satire.
“Burlesque is therefore of two kinds; the first represents mean persons in the accouterments of heroes, the other describes great persons acting and speaking like the basest among the people.” — Addison.
2.
An ironical or satirical composition intended to excite laughter, or to ridicule anything.
“The dull burlesque appeared with impudence, And pleased by novelty in spite of sense.” — Dryden.
3.
A ludicrous imitation; a caricature; a travesty; a gross perversion.
“Who is it that admires, and from the heart is attached to, national representative assemblies, but must turn with horror and disgust from such a profane burlesque and abominable perversion of that sacred institute?” — Burke.

Syn. Mockery; farce; travesty; mimicry.

03 v. t. To ridicule, or to make ludicrous by grotesque representation in action or in language.

imp. & p. p. Burlesqued; p. pr. & vb. n. Burlesquing

1.
To ridicule, or to make ludicrous by grotesque representation in action or in language.
“They burlesqued the prophet Jeremiah's words, and turned the expression he used into ridicule.” — Stillingfleet.

04 v. i. To employ burlesque.